Allelopathy. The essential oils as oxidant agents.

L.R. SCRIVANTI; M.P. ZUNINO; J.A. ZYGADLO

Curitiba. Brasil

Congreso; I Encontro Brasileiro de ecologia Química.; 1999

Catedra de Ecologia Quimica

Abstract The allelopathy is the occurrence of deleterious biochemical interactions among higher plants. Essential oils have been recognized to presents phytotoxic potentially. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the allopathic action of Tagetes minuta L, Schinus molle L., Minthostachys mollis (Kunth) Griseb and thymus vulgaris l. essential oils for their oxidant activity on the growth of Zea mays L. seedlings. The thiobarbituric acid method was used to measure the degree of lipid peroxidation. Tagetes minuta and S. molle essential oils presented an inhibitory activity on the seedling growth, associated to the capacity of oxidized the total lipids, while M. mollis and T. vulgaris essential oils did not found oxidant activity.